My boy. My sweet, sweet, amazing boy. How has it already been two years since I first held you in my arms? Two years since I looked into those perfect eyes? Two years since I met a living, breathing piece of my soul?
I have always heard the stories about mothers and their sons, and to be honest, I never believed them (which makes no sense, because I was a daddy's girl through and through). I always thought of boys as loud and dirty and... just so different from me. Yet the opposite is true - you are the sweetest part of my life. You are a mama's boy and I am completely yours. I love your sister with all my heart and she and I have an amazing relationship - but you and I have our own special connection that no-one can ever even begin to understand. Your eyes light up when I come into a room and your smile and giggle are contagious. You see me on the couch and drag a giant blanket and pillow over to me, climb up, and cover us both us and we just lay there together. I never knew another boy could steal my heart after your daddy did... but you, my love, have stolen it away.
I look back and think of how much you have grown and how much you have changed in this short amount of time. Then I look forward and think how amazing it will be to watch you grow up into a man. I hope I raise you well - I hope that I teach you what you need to know to be a good man in a world that doesn't necessarily promote being a truly good person.
Please be kind - to yourself and to everyone that you meet. There will be times when people don't seem to deserve your kindness, but those are the times when they need it the most. Show love and grace to those around you, forgive when someone hurts you, and ask forgiveness when you wrong someone else. Be honorable - be a man whose handshake is his bond, who is trustworthy and honest, reliable and steadfast in his beliefs. Other people will try and sell you on so many things in life - be sure you know which things are worth buying in to and when to walk away. I want you to love God and realize His unfailing love for you. He will not fail you, even when the darkness closes in, His light will guide your path. Teach your children to love Him as well. Be proud of your faith - a good man, a courageous man, is all any woman could ever hope for as a partner. Find success in your passions. You will spend a lifetime working, so find something that you love and get paid to do it. I'm certainly not a teacher because of the paycheck I bring home at the end of each month but I know that the impact I make on my students is worth more than gold. I hope you find that type of reward in whatever you choose to do. Show the world that I taught you manners - open doors for strangers, and always, ALWAYS for the women in your life. Look people in the eye when you speak to them and shake their hand. Be respectful and respectable.
Always love your sister - watch over her. You may be younger, but she is impulsive and there will be times when she will need you to be the voice of reason. Take care of her always. I never had a sibling and I've never wanted something more - the bond you two have is special. Don't let anything come between you. You two have each other forever - stay close, support each other, love each other, keep each other safe.
You are my boy. My perfect baby boy. And whether I am telling you this when your two, twenty, or fifty - you will always be my perfect baby boy. I adore you with a love only a mother can possess and I hope you know that I would spend every second of every day curled up snuggling you if life would allow it. I know that soon enough you'll be too 'cool' for the kisses and hugs that I bombard you with every day - but that is why I do it so much now. I know that I can't keep you little, no matter how badly I want to and no matter how hard I try, you grow up a little more each day.
Happy birthday my beautiful boy... I love you with my whole heart.
~ Mama
.JPG)
